The Budget for 2017-18 must announce measures to upgrade digital infrastructure across the country. This will encourage more merchants and consumers to transact on non-cash, online platforms and move a large portion of cash transactions to formal economy. Steps should be taken to promote digital literacy and connect cities, towns and villages with high-speed internet networks so that every citizen is empowered with access to a mobile broadband connection. Access to online services should actually be a fundamental right.

The upcoming budget must reduce corporate tax rate from 35 to 25 per cent for start-ups and companies promoting digital payments ecosystem. Transactions worth one trillion dollars are done in the country annually. Of these, barely 10 per cent are on digital platforms. The government must take more concrete steps to make digital payments ubiquitous. We also need to see visible action on sterling initiatives like Make in India, Skill India, Start-Up India and Stand Up India.